You ever stare at your screen and think, is this really what life is?
That’s how this week’s episode kicks off — a jet-lagged, slightly metaphysical check-in from Daniel’s vacation in Spain and Italy. There’s a lot of pasta, some toddler-induced chaos, and one very real conversation about why long breaks matter. Not just for recharging… but for waking up.
And while you’re at it, check out the full episode, it’s a really fun one and I think you’ll love it.
And even if you don’t want to listen to the episode, head on over to YouTube and subscribe to our page. It takes 6 seconds and means the world.
Clicking Buttons in a Certain Order
“I get paid my salary for clicking buttons in a certain order.”
And if you work in tech, you get it. You code, you email, you lead standups, you shuffle tickets. It’s work — but it’s also… weird? We’ve normalized the grind so hard that stepping away from it feels like breaking the fourth wall.
And that’s the thing: most people never step away far enough to notice. A four-day weekend doesn’t cut it. You need real time off to remember there’s more to life than Slack and swipe files.
Europe Gets It. America Doesn’t.
“People in America need to take more time off for longer periods of time.”
European “holiday” culture isn’t about burnout recovery — it’s prevention. Americans, meanwhile, treat time off like a guilt-ridden reward.
But here’s the kicker: longer PTO isn’t just good for the soul, it’s good business. Long-term employees with actual rest are:
More productive
Less likely to churn
Healthier (which saves the company money)
Probably way nicer to work with
Unlimited PTO only works if people actually use it. And most don’t — unless leadership makes long breaks normal.
Mental Health, Toddler Logic & Yogurt Meltdowns
“All I gotta do is click some buttons and I get paid. But parenting? You’re trying to reason with a 3-year-old about why his yogurt has kiwi in it. You don’t control the yogurt.”
There’s something quietly profound there. The screen is predictable. Life isn’t.
But life — the messy, loud, yogurt-flavored part — is what we’re actually here for.
Research Backed
Multiple studies show that vacations do boost well-being — but the benefits are often short-lived unless paired with true psychological detachment.
One study led by Jessica de Bloom found that well-being peaks around the 8th day of vacation, with the post-trip benefits fading within a week of returning to work unless people truly disconnect and engage in restorative activities. The average vacation length studied? About 23 days.
So if you want your time off to actually recharge you — make it longer, make it unplugged, and make it meaningful.
Wrap-Up
You don’t need to fly to Italy to realize you’re in the Matrix — but it helps.
Seriously, if you haven’t blocked off real vacation time this year, do it. Full send. Two weeks minimum. And if your company makes you feel weird about it? Forward them this email.
As always, thanks for riding along. Episode 30 is live — stream it, share it, or use it as ammo for that PTO request.
Catch you next week,
– Daniel and Troy
